Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phalaenopsis sp.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis orchid, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99. The genus Phalaenopsis is a member of the family Orchidaceae.
Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, Malay Archipelago and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.
Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as xe2x80x98Moth Orchidsxe2x80x99 in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interior scape.
Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments.
Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.
The new cultivar is a product of a breeding program carried out by the inventor, Ronie van Rijsselberghe. The new cultivar is a result of a cross of two unnamed non-commercial varieties owned by the applicant made in September 1993. The new cultivar xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 was selected from the progeny of the stated cross in Lochristi by the inventor in March 1996.
Asexual propagation by tissue culture, performed by the inventor in Lochristi, Belgium in March 1996, was used to increase the number of plants for evaluation and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as here in disclosed for xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed to be characteristics which in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 from generally available seedling-derived Phalaenopsis common in commercial cultivation:
1. broad elliptic leaves;
2. brown stem;
3. showy light purple flowers with dark purple stripes and white margins;
4. dull, green leaves with silvery glance and purple spots; and
5. freely flowering with 10-15 flowers and buds per raceme.
xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilization and day length without any change in the genotype. The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Lochristi, Belgium under a glass covered greenhouse in a 12 cm container under conditions which approximate commercial Phalaenopsis production conditions. Plants were grown for about 45 weeks after planting. During the first 25 weeks of production, day and night temperatures averaged 25 degrees Celsius; during the next four weeks of production, day and night temperatures averaged 18 degrees Celsius; and for the last weeks of production, day and night temperatures averaged 20 degrees Celsius. Lowest temperature tolerance is 15 degrees Celsius, highest is 38 degrees Celsius.
Perhaps the closest commercial comparison to xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 can be made to xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,048). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijswijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Phalaenopsis differ from xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 in the following ways. The leaves have a midrib which has the same color as the rest of the leaf whereas the midrib of xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 is dark purple. The leaves of xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 are glossy green whereas the leaves of xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 are green, dull with a silvery glance. The underside of the leaf of xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 is green with purple spots and a purple margin and midrib whereas the leaf of xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 is green with a smaller purple margin. The inflorescence stem of xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 is darker than the inflorescence stem of xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99. The flowers of xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 are much darker purple than the flowers of xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99 which also have white margins. The petals of xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 are a darker purple than the petals of xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Artemisaxe2x80x99 has a much shorter stem and starts producing flowers much lower on the stem (approximately 10 cm) than xe2x80x98Osirisxe2x80x99.